Dataset Information

Primary care physicians' access to in-house ultrasound examinations across Europe: a questionnaire study.

ABSTRACT:

Objective

The overall objective of this study was to examine the differences in ultrasound availability in primary care across Europe.

Design

Cross-sectional study.

Setting

Primary care.

Participants

Primary care physicians (PCPs).

Primary and secondary outcomes measures

The primary aim was to describe the variation in in-house primary care ultrasonography availability across Europe using descriptive statistics. The secondary aim was to explore associations between in-house ultrasonography availability and the characteristics of PCPs and their clinics using a mixed-effects logistic regression model.

Results

We collected data from 20 European countries. A total of 2086 PCPs participated, varying from 59 to 446 PCPs per country. The median response rate per country was 24.8%. The median (minimum-maximum) percentage of PCPs across Europe with access to in-house abdominal ultrasonography was 15.3% (0.0%-98.1%) and 12.1% (0.0%-30.8%) had access to in-house pelvic ultrasonography with large variations between countries. We found associations between in-house abdominal ultrasonography availability and larger clinics (OR 2.5, 95% CI 1.2 to 4.9) and clinics with medical doctors specialised in areas, which traditionally use ultrasonography (OR 2.1, 95% CI 1.1 to 3.8). Corresponding associations were found between in-house pelvic ultrasonography availability and larger clinics (OR 1.9, 95% CI 1.3 to 2.7) and clinics with medical doctors specialised in areas, which traditionally use ultrasonography (OR 3.0, 95% CI 1.8 to 5.1). Additionally, we found a negative association between urban clinics and in-house pelvic ultrasound availability (OR 0.5, 95% CI 0.2 to 0.9).

Conclusions

Across Europe, there is a large variation in PCPs' access to in-house ultrasonography and organisational aspects of primary care seem to determine this variation. If evidence continues to support ultrasonography as a front-line point-of-care test, implementation strategies for increasing its availability in primary care are needed. Future research should focus on facilitators and barriers that may affect the implementation process.

SUBMITTER: Aakjær Andersen C

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6773286 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

ACCESS DATA

Publications

Primary care physicians' access to in-house ultrasound examinations across Europe: a questionnaire study.

Aakjær Andersen Camilla C Jensen Martin Bach B MBB Toftegaard Berit Skjødeberg BS Vedsted Peter P Harris Michael M Research Group Örenäs Ö

BMJ open 20190930 9

<h4>Objective</h4>The overall objective of this study was to examine the differences in ultrasound availability in primary care across Europe.<h4>Design</h4>Cross-sectional study.<h4>Setting</h4>Primary care.<h4>Participants</h4>Primary care physicians (PCPs).<h4>Primary and secondary outcomes measures</h4>The primary aim was to describe the variation in in-house primary care ultrasonography availability across Europe using descriptive statistics. The secondary aim was to explore associations be ...[more]

PMID: 31575576

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Dataset Information

Primary care physicians' access to in-house ultrasound examinations across Europe: a questionnaire study.

Objective

Design

Setting

Participants

Primary and secondary outcomes measures

Results

Conclusions

Publications

Primary care physicians' access to in-house ultrasound examinations across Europe: a questionnaire study.

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